Madison County commissioners say approval of the regional transportation sales tax will bring in an estimated $1.4 million annually for county roads.

So, what roads would get attention first with more money?

The board of commissioners started hashing that out April 23. They voiced ideas on possible county projects if voters approve the one-cent transportation special purpose local option sales tax (T-SPLOST) July 31.

“A lot of counties are getting projects up and ready to go if this (T-SPLOST) is passed,” said BOC commission chairman Anthony Dove, who asked for input from commissioners on what they’d like to see in their districts.

Dove noted that the 12-county T-SPLOST would generate funds for regional and county projects. Madison County has two regional projects on tap, including turn lanes at the intersection of Hwy. 29 and Hwy. 98 and the four-laning of Hwy. 72 east of Comer.

“But the biggest benefit to Madison County will be the $1.4 million annually to the county,” said Dove. “It will be put directly into road infrastructure.”

The 10-year tax would generate an estimated $14 million for Madison County roads.

Dove asked the board members to discuss what improvements they’d like to see. No votes were taken. No decisions were made. But each member offered some opinions.
District 1 commissioner Stanley Thomas noted that Sanford Road was pretty torn up after the Department of Transportation worked on Hwy. 106 in recent years. He said Blacks Creek Church Road needs attention. And he added that Colbert-Danielsville Road, which is not in his district, “is probably has the worst need right now because of safety” issues. Thomas said he’d like to see roads that are partially paved, such as Aderhold Rogers Road, which is part dirt and part asphalt, completely paved.

“The pieces of road where pavement turns into dirt need our attention,” he said. He also said he’d like to see main thoroughfares in the county kept up, pointing out that poor main roads can deter businesses considering a move to the county.

District 2 commissioner John Pethel said his main priority is getting the bridge replaced on Sam Bruce Road and opening the road as a bus and mail route. He said the people of the Harrison community have waited a long time to have the bridge fixed. He also noted that Young Harris Road and Cecil Stewart Road need to be paved.

District 3 commissioner Mike Youngblood said he has a long list of roads that need attention, including the intersection of Piedmont and Garnett Ward Roads, Madison Oaks Drive and Jack Sharp Road. He also said Spratlin Mill Road, Bedford Drive and Virginia Lane need attention.

District 4 commissioner Pete Bond said he’d like to see Colbert-Danielsville Road made safer.

“That’s used by an awful lot of people,” he said, adding that he’d also like to see improvements to Brewer Phillips Road, where the new soccer complex is located.

District 5 commissioner Jim Escoe said he’d like to see Waggoners Grove Church Road and Madison Boulevard paved, adding that he doesn’t think the county can wait for sales tax funds to take action on Colbert-Danielsville Road. He noted that the curve going into Colbert is really dangerous and that school buses travel the road.

Dove asked the county road department to assess road needs and he read a list of 25 roads that could be addressed with T-SPLOST funds.

While the group talked about what roads could be improved, they also discussed the best way to divide the funds. Youngblood said each district should get an equal portion of money, while Pethel said larger districts with more miles of roads and more dirt roads should get more funds. No vote was taken on the matter.

The T-SPLOST proposal has been a lauded by some and criticized by others. The state government has essentially said that regions must pool their resources and handle most of their road needs locally. If regions opt not to participate in the T-SPLOST, they will be punished by the state government, which will require more funds from counties seeking road work.

Madison County officials say that the T-SPLOST is a way for the largely rural county to draw sales tax revenue from more commercially developed areas, such as Athens and Banks Crossing. Since Madison County has a lot of road mileage, it stands to gain a larger portion of the T-SPLOST funding for local projects than some more populated counties, like Oconee.

Meanwhile, opponents say the T-SPLOST is another tax in a tough economic time. No one spoke against the T-SPLOST at Monday’s meeting.

Dove noted that a lot of road projects can’t be addressed now due to a lack of funding. Madison County’s current one-cent SPLOST for local improvements brings in about $600,000 annually for roads. The board agreed in 2008 to split the SPLOST revenues in several ways, with roads getting $3.9 million out of a projected $12.6 million over six years.

Dove said that without the T-SPLOST, the county will need to allocate nearly all of its sales tax money to roads when SPLOST is up for renewal in 2014.

In other matters, the board approved a bid for $14,500 from Terry Shelton to replace the roof on the Poca Volunteer Fire Department. The board agreed to allow recreation department leaders to open a bid for the irrigation and sod work at the new soccer complex at 2 p.m. May 7 in the public meeting room of the county government complex.

County buildings and grounds director Alan Lapczynski said he’s getting canned food shelves put into the old forestry office, which will soon serve as the new locale for the county food bank. Lapczynski said the building should hold three times the shelving space as the current locale, adding that he thought the food bank can probably start moving in the next couple of weeks.

No Ben we are taxed to take from the responsible and that is then given often to others not responsible. Like Roosevelt running many rural farmers off their land but with approach of WW2 some local took advantage and bought that property that essentially the GOVT gave to their voting comrades. Glad your family did well Ben. PROBLEM now Ben they want what YOU have and you feel what my and other families felt 2 generations ago but STILL remember and some are still alive in MC that recall that dark GOVT time period.

How did Roosevelt run your family off of their land? Please explain.
If your house is foreclosed on today,for whatever reasons,will your great grandchildren still be blaming Bush and Obama 70 years from now? Will they blame the new owners of the property for your misfortune? Will they whine to their descendants as if they have some responsibility for your failures?
Grow up.

I can't believe anyone would be belly-aching still about what was done in Roosevelt's time. The majority of the people at the time, through their elected representatives, were in favor of whatever was done. If it was wrong or unfair, it is water long, long gone under the bridge! It is now the twenty-first century; do try to catch up.

Ms. K I and family have not forgotten WW1 nor WW2 nor Republic VN nor our passed on loved ones. Roosevelt was not that loved but the victor re-writes history. You must not know many of the so call non 1% rich as many recall the depression and before that share cropping and when big tree companies bought land at little price and torn down the homes on the property. Your comments have insulted me and I find your posting almost unclean feeling when I read it. "Whatever done" : heard that one in 1969 when draft dodgers fled to Canada. Doubt many MC boys fled there. Your type would though.

I'm curious. Why have my comments insulted you while Ben Had's comments have not? You do realize that you have insulted me by suggesting I am of the type who would dodge the draft or that I am wealthy with no understanding of the 99%. For future reference, I would place myself in the 50%. I would also invite you to step into the twenty-first century and turn your sights 180 degrees towards what's coming, not what's going, going, gone.

I have been trying to understand "those people" since I started posting; I've never interfaced with "that" segment of our population and wouldn't want to in person. Anonymous commenting is as close as I want to get and it is a unique experience. I am trying to challenge the simple minds to not let them get away with their rudeness and "simplicity" so that they will either go away or make better use of this site with thoughtful offerings. Then maybe the other type of folks will feel this site is worth their time and thoughtfulness and we can have real and useful discussions here. Then maybe advertisers will want to target the not-so-simple-minded commenters here by buying advertising so the paper can survive. I know; I'm a hopeless dreamer.

Ben insults himself my husband notes. Others help him do it to himself so why should I routinely join in.
Are you and Ben married. My husband and I work and know what coming. GOVT will take from us and give to people often like you.

Maybe gasoline taxes are just for existing road maintenence. The people voted for the tax so it is a done deal; the county leadership would be lacking if they failed to plan for this money as soon as possible. They plan to hit the ground running so we can have what we need as soon as possible. That's good leadership!

They are and have been for some time working to expand the business tax base up highway 72. That's what the water service up that way is all about. And that's what the Ingles expansion has been waiting for. Now that it is in place for Ingles, Kroger bought land across the intersection, I would assume for a store, but that is not necessarily true. They may plan a store for 5 or 10 years from now or they may just be investing in real estate. I suspect a store because Ingles has abandoned their expansion plans what with possible competition nearby. If they lower their prices, I will continue to shop there.

Nothing for Sam Bruce Road. Nothing. BOC need to close the road to start with and they can do this if they want to. Money too tight to do bridge for the few when so many more roads need more attention and more people live in those areas.

anyone any idea who running for his seat as thought he noted would not run.

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